Chime for clocks



(NoModeL) W. MATTHEWS.

GHIME FOR CLOCKS.

No. 439,965. Patented Nov. 4, 1890.

' WITNESSES:

lNVE/VTUR MA Z W "I, I l

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM MATTHEWS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CHIME FOR CLOCKS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 439,965, dated November 4, 1890.

Application filed January 10, 1890. Serial No. 336,552- (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM MATTHEWS, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Chimes for Clocks, &c., which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

My invention consists of a chime for a clock, &c., formed of a number of metallic rods or bars attuned to each other in diatonic succession and suspended from a sounding board or box in such. manner as to hang delicately therefrom.

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a chime embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a partial side elevation and partial vertical section thereof.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the two figures.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a sounding-box of any suitable construction.

B designates a set of metallic rods, which are attuned to each other in diatomic succession, or embrace the eight notes of the common scale, the same being suspended from the box or board A by means of pins or bolts 0, which project from the box-hangers D, which are connected with said bolts and pins E, which project from the rods B and rest on the lower ends of the hangers, thus supporting the rods. Interposed between the hangers and rods are washers F, which prevent the metallic contact of said hangers and rods or bars,

The hangers D are of the form of loops, whose upper ends are separated and secured to plates G, which are screwed or otherwise attached to the bolts C. The loop is twisted, or has one side set back, as most clearly shown in Fig. 2. By these provisions should the rods swing or sway their upper ends are prevented from coming in contact with the loops, and their sound is accordingly preserved. The rods are encircled by collars H, of rubber or other suitable material, which serve to affect or vary the sound of the rods in such manner as to impart a cathedral tone thereto.

It will be seen that the rods are hung firmly but delicately from the sounding-box, there being but a small point of contact of the pins E with the hangers D, and thus the sweetness of sound or tone of the rods is preserved. If desired, the number of rods may be reduced to form a peal.

Projecting from the back of the sounding box or board are bu ffers J, which prevent contact of the same with an adjacent object.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a sounding-box, of an attuned solid bar movably supported in a vertical position by said box and held at a distance therefrom and having a mufiler, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a soundingbox or board of an attuned rod or bar movably connected to said box or board and having a muffler thereon, substantially as described.

3. In a chime, the combination of a sounding box or board, a plate G, attached thereto and supported at a distance therefrom, a loop attached to said plate G, and an attuned rod or bar loosely connected to said loop and having a muffier, substantially as described.

WILLIAM MATTHEWS.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. WIEDERSHEIM, WM. 0. WIEDERSHEIM. 

